Letter-box



(No Model.)

H. S. SCHAADT.

LETTER BOX. No. 396,767. Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

UMMUIIHHHHINIIHNHW! fw Unire STATES artnr Prion HENRY S. SCIIAADT, OF AST. LGIS, MISSOURI.

LETTEREBQX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,767, dated January 29, 1889.

Application filed April 3, 188B. Serial No. 269,447. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. SCHAADT, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Letter-Boxes, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and eXaet deserip tion.

The aim of this improvement is to provide means whereby an improper interference with the mail matter deposited in a letter-Mix is prevented.

An additional feature of the improvement is an auxiliary eompartment for the reception of bulky less valuable n1atter-sueh as newspapers--all` substantially as is hereinafter more specifically set out and as claimed, and as illustrated in the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in whieh Figure 1 is a view in perspective ot the improved letter-box; Fig. 2, a vertieal longitudinal section of that portion of the letter-box which contains the openin through whieh the mail matter is introduced into the box. The view inelu des the means employed in oonneetion with suoli opening for preventing` aeeess through the box-opening to that portion of the interior of the letterdiox in which the mail matter depositeil. The movable parts are adjusted as when the boxkolwnin g is elosed. Fig. 3 is a similar section, the parts being as when the box-openingr is open to admit mail matter; Fig. 4.-, a view in perspeetive ol the valve; and Fig. 5, a Vview in perspeetive, trom the interior et' the letteif-bomolf the slide used in opening and elosing the boxeopening and Closing and opening the valve.

The same letiers ot' relerenee denote the same parts.

The leading feature et' ille iinprovement is a combination ot' parts whereby the aperture in the box 'for admitting mail matter can be opened and Closed, and when opened aeeess to that part of the box in whioh the mail matter is ultimately deposited is prevented, so that whate\ier instrument is introduced through the box-aperture cannot reaeh mail `matter previously deposited.

A represents a letter-box ot the ordinary eonstruetion, saving as it is modified or supplemented by the improvement in question. The aperture for-introducing the letters thereinto is shown at G in the usual manner.

I represents a partition, whieh, with a part Conveniently termed a valve, M, is used to form the compartment or spaee R- immediately beyond the aperture G within the letter-box. This spaee R is intended to hold only a few letters at a time, and its dimensions need only to be large enough for that purpose. The partition P is usually a iixture', and it is so made and arrangec'l that. letters cannot pass through or over it. The valve )I is so shaped and arranged that it can be moved to elose the passage between the end ce ol' the box and the partition P, so that theletters plaeed `in the spaee R cannot pass therefrom, and when moved in the opposite direetion the letters ean pass into the main portion S ot the interior ot the letter-box. When the passage is closed, as shown in Fig. 3, no instrumentwsueh as a rod, a hook, or a eord having a weight attaehed and eoated with an adhesive substaneewean be inserted in the letter-box so as to reaeh the main oompartment S therein and extract the mail matter therefrom. On the other hand, when the valve is opened, as in Fig. 2, the booeaperture G is elosed. Thus in neither pos ion ot the valve or whether the box-aperture is opened or elosed ean aeeess be had to the mail matter deposited in the letter-bon', saving through the regular opening used by the eolleetor ot the mail n'laflter.

'lhe most desirable means t'or operating the valve and elosing and opening the box-aperture is as i'olliows: H represents a slide arranged upon the inner side of the endl of the box and adapted to be moved upward and downward, as iiu'lieated by its two positions shown, respectively, in Figs. 2 and 3. It has an aperture, I, wlrielnwhen the slide is raised, eoineides with the box-aperture G, and at sueh time mail matter eau be. introdueed through the combined apertures G I into the spaee E. "When the slide ll is lowcned, its aperture I is moved to be out ol line with the box-aperture G, and an imperforated portion ofthe slide Comes opposite the aperture G, and nothing can be introdueed into the letterbox. The slide is provided with a handle, F,

which proj eets through an opening, E, in the box, and upon theinnerside of the slide is an \Vhen the slide is raised, the ininelin e, L.

IOO

eline encounters the valve, or, preferably, a roller, O, upon the valve, and the valve is thereby turned on its journals N N into the position of Fig. 3. Then the slide is lowered, the support of the valve is Withdrawn, and the Valve, by reason of its gravity, aided by that of any mail matter upon it, drops into the position of Fig. 2. The valve-journals N N turn in suitable fixed bearings, (not showin) which are not attached to the slide, but are in theletterbox end a. The partition is held by the fastenings Q. The slide ll Works upon suitable guides, K, which pass through the slots J in the slide. When the handle Fis released, the Weight of the slide causes it to drop.

B represents the auxiliary chamber Afor the bulky less Valuable mail matter. l t is located at the bottom of the letter-box, and access is had thereto by means of the door C. This chamber occupies a space not needed for other purposes, is easy to reach, and whatever is devalve and a partition, and also havinga slide for opening, an d closing the box-aperture, said slide and valve being' connected, and when one is moved to close the box-aperture the other is moved to open the passage from said eompartment, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, in a letter-box, of the slide H, having the aperture l and the incline L, and the handle F, with the valve M, having,I the roller O and beingjournaled, substantially as described.

Witness my hand this 30th March, 1888. HENRY S. SCHAADT. Vitn esses:

C. D. MOODY, C. C. LOGAN. 

